Far Gosford Street

A tad harsh, imho - at least they haven't bussed in buildings from other streets

I agree - It looks a darn sight better than it was and at least this is one area (why not all the others?!) where they are trying and not just bulldozing for a modern block.

It may look better than it did recently but most of us here remember it as it was in the 1950s and 1960s and the reconstruction isn't a patch on how it was then!

Well at least they are trying to make it back into a proper street and not just demolishing it. I think it's a good development. I like the aerial shot. Look at all those topshops!

The jumbled images below are part of a survey carried out by myself to record what I thought might be due for redevelopment, all dating to the late 1960's - early 1970's. There's just one colour shot but to reduce the megabytes to the required parameters I have made it, like the rest, black and white! As you are aware there was much redevelopment around the time I am talking about: the war left gaps in the City's landscape, that became either car parks or development plots. Temporary shops could be seen, like those in Broadgate. Amongst them I remember the Lyons Cafe where my late brother and I went for a morning coffee, or light meal. Back to the survey of Far Gosford Street, there are a few things to mention, first the image with what appears to be a dog's bone across it - that was a development fault I believe! But it may have some information on it. Three shots are of the inside of a building showing timbers, I can't say where but it must have been publicly accessible. In one picture my 4 year old son is posing to indicate the passage to Court 13: my gt. grandfather lived in Court 13 in days gone by. Incidentally, my 4 year old is now a strapping 52 year old. Enjoy the photographs, please get back to me if there's any questions, or just comment as usual. John

I remember that alleyway, we demolished some houses at the back and would walk down the alley to visit the cafe on the other side of the road. The houses had been empty for some time, and vagrants/dossers were living in some of them, which made our job more difficult because we had to make sure they were all out before we started work.

My dad used to work in Sid Coles timber yard when we were kids. I only remember going through an arch between shops and coming out in a huge yard with a workshop and storage area. They always had big work orders for packing cases to export motorbikes in. We used to go and see him if we had been to the demon dentist in Gulson Road and mum would take him some chips for his lunch. Strangely we could always eat chips even after the suffering and horror that we had endured that morning. We would sweep up the shavings into a paper sack for our rabbit hutch and dad would bring it home in the car later. I think I have seen a photo on here of a car park with possibly dads car in it.

One of the few city centre streets that doesn't appear to have changed much. Fascinating pictures.

Looking at the picture of Beechams and Cannons have I understood correctly, directly to the right of Cannons would be Bednalls TV shop, so the site of Cannons would be where in the fifties Light Cars had a temporary lean to motorcycle show room, planning application 12145. Did Beechams occupy the Cannon site at one time. What cars did Beechams sell from this location. Incidentally did you realise that Light Cars were also Fiat Distributors. Somewhere we have a pictures showing a row of Fiat 500 cars outside Light Cars. Thanks to you all, building a good picture of the area when Astons Garages were there. I have a picture of Coventry Carnival which shows the shop on the corner in Enterprise Block with Procter & ? Any one remember a dog on the roof of Astons showroom, what was and when? Any more memories of Light Cars?

Who remember Beecham Motors and what did they sell? As next to Astons Garages want to find a bit more about them any adverts anywhere.

Link to report of death of W Beecham in 2001

Thanks When was the 1st stage of the Ring Road started, to determine when Beechams moved to Allesley Old Road Any adverts around for Beecham Motors

The Gosford Street flyover was built in late 1967 but it didn't affect that part of Far Gosford Street for another couple of years. By 1971 everything to the west of Light Cars had gone.

Found this link on Facebook.

Hi John, I remember well the shop where your son is standing with all the fruit and veg outside on tables, and the shop next to the Pitts Head, they had a large range of Matchbox Cars, that's where all my pocket money went to. Thanks for the memories, great photographs